Beer

DINING OUT It's Auld Lang Syne to 2003 and welcome to 2004 as you climb the steps of the Huntington Beach Beer Company to celebrate the double holiday of New Year's eve and day. A mug of Huntington Beach Blond comes from the big steel brew vats facing you as you enter Peter Andriet's second-story bar and grill to find a place on the balcony, heated by tall lamps and alive with conversation. But the Beer Company is more. From the balcony, past a small bar is a long dining room offering pizzas and burgers, salads and pastas from a kitchen run by chefs Pedro Espanza and Pablo Gutierrez since it opened in 1992.

-- ROSEANNA MAHLER HUNTINGTON BEACH -- For almost 190 years, Germans have gathered for drinking, dancing and merrymaking during Oktoberfest -- one of the world's longest running annual parties. And the Old World Village in Huntington Beach is no exception. Beginning Sunday, and running through Oct. 29, the annual Oktoberfest will be held in the heart of the village at 7561 Center St. Those attending can listen to an oompah band flown in from Germany or participate in such contests as beer stein-holding, yodeling and beer drinking.

Laguna Beach prides itself on being an artist colony, where a spectrum of art genres thrive -- but who knew the performance art of beer pouring could fit into that category? This art form will be featured at 5 p.m. Tuesday when Brussels Bistro owner Alain Pauwels and manager John John McEvilly, both Belgium natives, compete to see who has perfected the art of beer pouring. They will represent Laguna Beach in the Orange County qualifier for the Stella Artois World Draught Master Competition.

Ron Davis Something new is brewing for the Pacific Shoreline Marathon, which will be held in Huntington Beach, on Jan. 27. For those without calendars, that's a Sunday, or should I say, Sudsday. That's right, folks, the Huntington Beach City Council has approved a beer garden for the participants in the race. If I may be so bold, I'd like to offer a slogan for the promoters of the event: "Beer at the pier, next year." Or maybe, "Get your brew in 2000 and two."

-- Story by Angelique Flores HE IS Brewing and baking BREAD-Y TO GO Midden runs BrewBakers, a shop in Huntington Beach where anyone can come in to brew beer and soda or buy a loaf of freshly baked bread. "It started with a dream to tie beer and bread together," the 47-year-old man said. "It's a celebration of yeast." Baking bread is second nature to Midden, who grew up in the baking business. "I'm a baker first and a brewer second," he said.

New Year's Day will mark a first for owner Peter Andriet and the Huntington Beach Beer Co.: It will be the first time since opening on Main Street that their 2 a.m. weekend closing time will allow the restaurant and pub to celebrate a New Year and a new millennium in the style they like. There will be two seatings -- 6:30 p.m. ($29.99) and 8:30 p.m. ($35.99), complete with party favors, a martini bar and a cigar bar. You name it, they'll try to have it. As Assistant Manager Chris Cunningham, a Huntington Beach High School grad, says, they have the beer -- six big vats at the entrance -- and the food to make New Year's a memorable event.

With all the commercializing of children's toys and parks, it sometimes seems like all activities come with an advertising scheme. Some parents sick of all the hype might find refuge at a brewery and pretzel shop in Huntington Beach. At Brewbakers, 7242 Heil Ave., owner Dennis Midden organizes group parties for children who want to learn about the two things he loves to do: brew and bake. He hosts parties for kids to learn the basics of baking bread and making root beer. On Tuesday, Lori Andreyka brought her daughter Cassie Andreyka and six friends to the shop for a party.

Like a kaleidoscope, all the pieces seem to fall just right at the Huntington Beach Beer Co. this Fourth of July. The new brewmaster Kris Martin has crafted golden bear brown ale just for Huntington Beach. The cuisine has matured under the direction of Pablo Gutierrez and Pedra Esparza; and owner Peter Andriet has just gotten married and moved into Plaza Almeria, the big new condo just a block from the Main Street location of the brewery. Climb the narrow stairs or take the elevator to the top floor of the high ceiling room on the corner of Walnut and Main streets.

Mike Sciacca Dean Rief has purchased trucks from all over the worldwithout really leaving Southern California. That collection, too large for storage in his Huntington Beach home of 37 years, has found a home at his business, a local warehouse distribution center for supplies, equipment and food services for supermarkets and independent grocery stores. The trucks that Rief collects are not for the road: this 70-year-old is a connoisseur of beer truck toys.

John Volo Great food, distinctive drinks and a lively band made for a delightful night out at Habana Cafe, a Cuban restaurant located near Beach Boulevard and Ellis Avenue. The smooth, rhythmic, salsa-styled numbers pumped out by a seasoned trio -- two bongo players and a keyboardist who replicates a horn section -- created a vibe Ricky Ricardo would have been proud of. Our friendly server quickly shepherded the ladies toward one of Cuba's more traditional cocktails -- the mojito.

Huntington Beach, a city famous for its many alcohol-serving venues, may get a new watering hole soon — and its name should be familiar. The Starbucks at 7101 Yorktown Ave. in the Seacliff Village shopping center has applied for a license to sell beer and wine, joining three other Southern California locations for the Seattle-based coffee chain. Trung Vo, a supervising investigator for the state Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control, said the department received the application in March and that it usually takes 60 to 90 days to grant a license.

I was surfing the web and saw the article on the proposed skate park Vans is willing to build for the city on Center Avenue near Gothard Street ( "Council approves report for proposed skate park," April 21). As a bona fide "old guy" living in the downtown area of HB, I am in total favor of this proposal. As a kid, I used to skateboard at my high school back East. Talk about a crazy, fun, mostly harmless sport — this is it. The fact that the park at Huntington Beach High School was torn down amazed me. How this city can refer to itself as Surf City and support a giant skate competition during the U.S. Open and not support a place for kids to go and safely have fun and learn a skill they will always enjoy is just beyond me. I, like many people, don't particularly enjoy the clatter many skateboarders make, but they need to have someplace that is safe and well-maintained.

The Huntington Beach Planning Commission denied a downtown burger joint's request on Tuesday to serve beer and wine to its customers. Bomburger Restaurant, which has been serving burgers, fries and onion rings at 200 Main St. for almost a year, applied for the alcohol permit to help boost business, said owner Rob Sleenhof. The request, however, violates a city resolution designed to limit alcohol-related issues in downtown. The resolution, which was approved in January 2010, requires any restaurant or bar serving alcohol to close at midnight.

Since Vic and I acquired our three hens, our composting operation has changed. More of our kitchen scraps go the chickens, who love vegetable and fruit peelings, than go into the composter. Instead of vegetable peels, we now put straw bedding and chicken poop into the composter. As the ratio of brown to green waste changed, our composter didn't heat up enough for rapid decomposition. Luckily, Huntington Beach gardener John Manning had a solution for us — beer. He picks up spent brewers grain from the Huntington Beach Beer Company at 201 Main St. and swears by its positive effect on his compost piles.

After spending a day at the Old World Village, I have had a change of heart on a few things. One: I don’t just like bratwurst; I heart bratwurst. Two: Polka is a beautiful dance, especially after three shots of Rumple Minze (peppermint schnapps). Three: Every woman should own a traditional Dirndl dress, mainly because it makes men stutter and then go mute. I swore this year would be the year I would finally participate in the Oktoberfest celebrations that have happened every year at this Huntington Beach Bavarian village since it opened in 1978.

In an age when beers from around the world are conveniently available in grocery and liquor stores, it’s easy to overlook locally brewed beers. “Local breweries bring more than just a beer,” said BrewBakers master brewer Dennis Midden. “People that come [to breweries] are all into beer, and that brings them together.” The Monkey House Cafe will give beers from two Huntington Beach breweries the spotlight Thursday as part of Brew Night in the Jungle.

It's back — beer, people dressed in lederhosen, dachshund races — and more beer. Yes, Oktoberfest has returned to the Old World Village in Huntington Beach, and the city is more than ready for it. The fest opened Sept. 10 and will continue through Oct. 29, with free admission Wednesdays and Thursdays and family Sundays. The rest of the weekend, though, goes to the over-21 crowd. Bring the kids by from 2 to 7:30 p.m. on Sundays for bounce houses, dog races and carnival fun at Kinderfest.

With all the commercializing of children's toys and parks, it sometimes seems like all activities come with an advertising scheme. Some parents sick of all the hype might find refuge at a brewery and pretzel shop in Huntington Beach. At Brewbakers, 7242 Heil Ave., owner Dennis Midden organizes group parties for children who want to learn about the two things he loves to do: brew and bake. He hosts parties for kids to learn the basics of baking bread and making root beer. On Tuesday, Lori Andreyka brought her daughter Cassie Andreyka and six friends to the shop for a party.

Laguna Beach prides itself on being an artist colony, where a spectrum of art genres thrive -- but who knew the performance art of beer pouring could fit into that category? This art form will be featured at 5 p.m. Tuesday when Brussels Bistro owner Alain Pauwels and manager John John McEvilly, both Belgium natives, compete to see who has perfected the art of beer pouring. They will represent Laguna Beach in the Orange County qualifier for the Stella Artois World Draught Master Competition.